Crime
UMMC Employee Assaulted and Threatened in Parking Lot After Leaving Work
Jackson, Miss. – Authorities are investigating a violent assault and attempted robbery that took place in the stadium parking lot of the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC).
The incident occurred as the victim, identified as Morgan McGuire, was leaving work.
McGuire reported that she was approached by a stranger who initially demanded money.
However, despite her verbal and physical attempts to surrender her purse, the attacker ignored her offer and proceeded to assault her.
“He asked for my money, so I verbally and physically offered him my purse, but he ignored me. He threw me to the ground and kept beating me,” McGuire recalled.
During the assault, she was punched, choked, and thrown to the ground while her attacker repeatedly threatened to shoot her.
Although the suspect demanded her purse, McGuire noted that the attack did not appear to be motivated by robbery alone.
The assault only ended when a passerby intervened, which McGuire described as occurring “after what felt like forever.”
UMMC confirmed that the UMMC Police Department, in coordination with Capitol Police, is actively investigating the attack.
“We take seriously the safety of everyone on our campus and will continue to work with our partners, including Capitol Police and other law enforcement, to uphold this commitment,” UMMC stated.
Authorities have not yet released a description of the suspect, and it remains unclear whether any arrests have been made.
Officials urge anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continues.
Crime
Kenneth Cook Arrested for Incest After Fathering Three Children with Biological Daughter Alexzandrea Thomas
MacArthur, W.Va. – A Raleigh County man has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including incest, sexual abuse, and child neglect, after authorities discovered he had an incestuous relationship with his biological daughter, resulting in the birth of three children.
According to a criminal complaint, 43-year-old Kenneth Cook, of MacArthur, West Virginia, was taken into custody on Thursday, March 6.
He is facing charges of:
- Sexual abuse by a parent or custodian
- Third-degree sexual assault
- Child neglect
- Three counts of incest
Investigators allege that between 2019 and March 2024, Cook engaged in a non-consensual sexual relationship with his biological daughter, Alexzandrea Thomas, which led to the birth of three children, currently aged 5, 3, and 1.
The complaint states that Alexzandrea Thomas is now 21 years old, meaning that the first child was conceived when she was under the age of 16, and Cook was 38 years old at the time.
Throughout this period, Cook and Thomas were residing together in the same household.
Authorities launched an investigation following a referral from Child Protective Services (CPS) regarding concerns of abuse and neglect involving the youngest child, who, at one year old, weighed only six pounds.
Medical personnel at Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) determined that the 1-year-old was severely malnourished and exhibited signs of medical neglect, as his health had continued to deteriorate without proper intervention.
Further concerns were raised when the attending physician noted physical characteristics commonly associated with an incestuous relationship.
This prompted genetic testing, which was conducted on all three children and later sent to the Mayo Clinic for analysis.
The test results confirmed that the children’s parents shared a first-generational biological relationship, indicating that their parents were either a parent and child or full-blooded siblings.
As Thomas has no full-blooded siblings, investigators determined that Cook was the biological father of all three children.
Cook is currently being held at Southern Regional Jail on a $500,000 bond as the investigation continues.